The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-12
document, written in clear, full hand
that shows not a trace of tremulous-
ness or age"
DIR. PATRONS TESTIMONY TO UNI
VERSALISM.

the spirit and power of Universalism
has accomplished within the limits of
the present century.
To answer this question in all its de-
tails requires more space than the paper
can devote to a single subject. We
therefore confine ourselves to the con-
sideration of few points expressive of
the bene6cent work which our faith
has, during these brief years, accom-
plished in the religious world and just
here we can do no better than to take
the very points furnished by an emin-
ent orthodox divine, viz: The Rev. DIR.
Patton (Congregationalistl, former ed
itor of the Advance, of Chicago. These
points, denotiDg the great and benefcent
working of Universalism were stated
by DR.. Patton in an address delivered
by him before the Orthodox Theologi-
cal school in Chicago, only within the
last few years.
We first present these points in brief,
and then proceed to few observations
concerning them. The Doctor says: az
That Universalism has served to cor
rect wrong interpretations of Scripture.
~ Universalism has righted us up in
the abstract arguments from reason.
~ Universalism has put check upon
heartless representation of divine Sc
verify. az Universalism has aided to
keep up the idea Of retribution in this
world. (5) Universalism has prevent
ed too conclusive reliance upon fu-
ture punishment as a motive to the
Christian life. (6) Universalism has
corrected certain views as to the extent
of the atonement. ~ Universalism
has brought to view and emphasized
the fatherhood of God.
This is, certainly, as much as we can
ask or expect from any man who repre-
sents system of an opposite nature to
Universalism and DR.. Patton deserves
our thanks for these candid admissions
of most important service done to the
religious world by Universalism. These
admissions are in beautiful contrast
with the declarations of many divines
and preachers, who, without the Doc
tors knowledge of the subject, have in
wholesale manner affirmed that Uni
versalism is only evil, and that, instead
of tending to benefit the world, it is
most pernicious and ruinous in its in
f1uence on the religion and morals of
society.
DR.. Patton says Universalism has
served to correct wrong interpretations
of Scripture. This is an important fact.
Before the advent of Universalism in
America very many passages in both
the Jewish and Christian Scriptures
were believed, by almost all the divines
and preachers of the land, to teach I'M
equivocally the doctrine of future end
less woe for the great majority of man
kind and all these assages were con-
stantly interpreted and applied, in the
preaching Of that day, to such final
and most disastrous consummation of
the divine government. Preachers then,
generally speaking, never informed
their hearers that there were different
words in the original translated 'hell, p"
in our version of Scripture and that
none OF these passages primarily signi-
fed a place of punishment in the fu-
ture world. They never told them that
the word translated "hell'' in the Old
Testament was also the word that is
translated "the grave" On the con-
trary, they habitually applied the word,
both in the Old and New Testaments,
as meaning not only place of punish
ment in the future world, but a place
of endless punishment. They always
virtually assumed this to be the mean
ing of hell wherever found in the Bible.
Universalism has brought this great
subject of hell, so long kept in the dark,
into the light-shown the various mean
ings it has in various places, and tri-
umphantly demonstrated the fact that
in Scripture it is never used in the sense
of place of endless punishment. Dl-
vines now see this /; and some of the
best and most eminent of them are con-
Tossing it.
Another instance in which Univer-
salism has corrected wrong interpre-
tation of Scripture, is in the case of the
passages formerly assumed to teach the
literal end of the world, or the destruc-
tion Of the material universe. Univer-
salism has shown that the original
phrase translated" the end of the world''
in our Bible, literally means "the end
of the age"; and that in no case in
Scripture is it used to denote an end or
literal destruction of the material world.
Another instance is the correction of
the error which prevailed in the church,
of assuming 'the day of judgment" to
mean future simultaneous assembling
of all mankind, to be finally separated
and awarded, some with endless happi-
ness in heaven, and the rest with end
less misery in hell for Universalism
has shown that there are many days of
special judgment under the divine gov
eminent, all along the ages that the
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